I've been reading some of the threads about the native Americans and their experiences with the European tribes that settled in North America. I think there are some real lessons that we modern day Americans could learn from the native American experience.
At first the European tribes came to trade with the native Americans.
The Europeans brought with them in their canoes trade goods that the
native Americans desired, guns, knives, axes, blankets and trinkets.
>From the native Americans the Europeans desired furs, hides and roots.
This was a pretty good deal for the native Americans because they had an
endless supply of these things and in return they got things that they
did not manufacture or have knowledge of how to manufacture.
I would be willing to bet that anytime during the first 150 years of the European tribes attempted colonization effort of North America, if the native Americans had made a concerted effort to get rid of the Europeans they could have. Match-lock guns were no big edge in the North American rain forest. The numbers of the Europeans were not that big and they were spread out and could be knocked off one settlement at a time. Why didn't the native Americans do it? Well I think the answer is easy; why ruin what is perceived to be an advantageous trading relationship? You can almost hear a native American saying, " so what if the Europeans and one of the costal tribes of native Americans have problems,hey, no big deal its a big country and the costal tribe was always a problem to us anyway."
By the time the native Americans started to realize in the 1750's that their fate was sealed it was to late. Even then they still persisted in killing each other over access to the Europeans trade goods.
Being from an old American family of Dutch ancestry, I hope my ancestors were not mean to the native Americans. I think we have a lot to learn from their mistakes.
Sincerely, Tom Lehman